Wrench.



R. Y. BOVEE.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1913.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

INVENTOR. H ).5 ol ee.

THE NORRIS PETERS C0. FHOTO-LITHO.. WASHING mN, D. c.

Ransom Y. BOVEE, or DENVER, cones-am.

WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

Application filed January 2, 1913. Serial No. 739,786.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, RANsoM Y. Bovnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county .of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wrenches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in wrenches and its primary object resides in the provision of a wrench of simple construction whose movable jaw after having been locked in its adjusted position relative to the stationary jaw, will automatically move in engagement with the object to be gripped to compensate for any space left after its adjustment, when the wrench is subjected to pressure in a forward direction, and which when thewrench is sub sequently released from pressure will return to its normal position in spaced relation to the object. By this arrangement the two jaws of the wrench are at all times maintained in clamping engagement with the object to be turned during the effective movement of the wrench but will separate to pass around the diagonal corners of anut or bolt head during its movement in the opposite direction and my improved wrench operates in this-manner as a ratchet wrench without having any of the disadvantageous features. usually connected with an instrument of this type.

Another object of my invention consists in providing a simple manually operated contrivance by means of which a similar adjustment of the movable aw is effected prior to amovement of the wrench in the opposite or rearward direction.

An embodiment of my invention has been shown in the accompanying drawings in the various views of which like parts are similarly designated, and in which,

Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of my improved wrench. Fig. 2, a front view of the same looking in the direction of the arrow A, Fig. 1, Fig. 3, a fragmentary section taken along the line 33, Fig. 1,

Fig. 4, a transverse section along the line 44, Fig. 1, and Fig. 5, a similar section taken along the line 55, Fig. 1, looking in {he direction of the arrow drawn across said Referring more specifically to the drawings my improved wrench is composed of a stock 2 which at one of its ends has an integral jaw 3 and which at 4 is articulately connected with a hollow operating handle 5 into which its opposite extremity loosely extends. The movable jaw 6 is slidably mount ed on the stock by means of a pair of integral straps 7 and it has in its portion adjacent the front edge of said stock, a longitudinal recess 8 which is open at one of its ends to admit a rack bar 9 which is pivotally connected with the handle as at 10. The rack bar is guided for reciprocation by means of a strap 12 which is riveted to the stock in close proximity to the open, forward end of the hollow handle, and its pivotal connection with the latter is established by means of a pair of inwardly projecting lugs 13 which are formed integral with the handle and extend loosely in transverse slots in the sides of the bar, as is shown in Fig. 4. The rack bar which is slidably fitted in the recess of the movable jaw, has in its front face, a series of ratchet teeth which are engaged by a correspondingly serrated end of a looking dog 14 which is pivotally mounted in a recess 15 in the front portion of the jaw 6, and whose opposite extremity extending outside of the recess, is exteriorly milled as at 28. A spring 16 placed between the last mentioned end of the dog and the inner surface of the recess, serves to maintain the opposite end of the dog in interlocking'engagement with the teeth of the bar.

The end of the stock which extends into the hollow handle, is beveled at its front edge, as at 17, and has in the said beveled edge a series of notches 18 to receive the end-edge of a flat prop 19 which at its opposite edge is adjustably supported in seats 20 formed on the inside of the handle 5. The prop has a forwardly extending shank 21 which projects loosely through an aperture 24 in the front of the handle and which exteriorly of the same, has an enlarged head 22 which is milled to facilitate its manipulation. A bow spring 23 whose extremities are disposed inrecesses in the outer surface of the handle at opposite sides of the aperture 24, engages the head of the prop to maintain the inner end in engagement with the endof the wrench stock whose front and rear edges are engaged by two springs 25 and 26 which yieldingly oppose its move ment about its axis of articulation. One of these springs 25 rests at one of its ends against the inner surface of the handle at the front portion of the same, and it is at its opposite end secured to the stock, and

the other spring 26 is disposed in the space between the rear edge of the stock and the adjacent surface of the handle to which it is attached.

In the operation of the wrench, the movable jaw is detached from the rack bar by reversing the dog which is readily accomplished by pressure upon the milled end thereof against the action of the spring 16. The jaw thusbeing free to be moved along the stock is pressed against the object disposed betweenthe two jaws, after which the dog is. released from pressure to allow its serrated end to interlock with the nearest teeth of the rack bar. The distances between the interden'tal spaceson the rack bar make it *obviously impossible to always grip the object tightly between the two jaws by mere adjustment 'of the movable jaw along the said bar, and in most instances a space is left between the jaws and the object, which in my improved wrenchis -automatically eliminated as soon as the wrench is turned in the usual direction, indicated by the arrow C in Fig. 1, by the movement of the handle about its point of articulation with the stock against the "action of the spring 25, which causes the rack ba'r and the therewith connected j aw to move toward the stationary jaw until it is brought in engagement with the object placed between the same. Whenthe handleis subsequently released from pressure the spring 25 returnsthe latter to its normal position with relation to the stock with the result that the movable jaw is again separated from the object and "the wrench may beturned around the objec't to operate in the manner of a ratchet wrench. When it'is desired to turn the wrench in the direction indicated by the arrow D in Fig. 1, the space between the object and the jaws is previously eliminated by adjustment of the prop 19 in the notches 18 of the stock which cornpels theflatter to turn upon the handle and consequently causes the rack bar and the jaw 6 to move against the object placed between the jaws as 'before,'it being understood that when the wrench is turned in the direction of the arrow G, the prop is disconnected from the stock and placed in the position indicated "by broken lines at 27 in Fig. "1.

While I have shown and described 'my inventionin the best form at present known to me, I desire it understood that theform and arrangement 'of'its parts maybe varied and that for this-reason I 'do not wish to be limited to the use of the exa'ct construction shown, except to the extent indicated in the following claims.

What I "claim and desire to secure *by Letters- Patent 'i's:

1. In a wrench, a hollow handle having an opening at one of its ends, a'jaw stock having a notched end, extending loosely through said opening inpivotal connection with thehand-leand having at its opposite end, a fixed jaw, a spring applied between the inner surface of the handle and the portion of the; stock within the same to yieldingly oppose a movement of the parts about their pivot, a jaw movable on said stock, a rack-bar loosely extending through the opening of the handle and movably connected with the same at a point separate from its pivot, means on said movablejaw for looking it in its adjusted positions on the bar, by interlocking engagement with the-teeth thereof, and a prop extending through an aperture of said handle, into its hollow'to engage the notched end 'of the stock, the said prop being adjustable to engage any one of said notches for holding the-stock at diiferent angles with relation to the handle, or to disengage the stock to allow of its pivotal movement independent of the prop;

2. In a wrench a hollow handle having an opening at one of its ends, a jaw stock having a notched end, extending loosely through said opening in pivotal connection with the handle and having at its opposite end, a "fixed jaw, a spring applied between the inner surface of the handle and the portion of the stock within the same to yieldingly oppose a movement-of the parts about their pivot, a jaw movable on said stock, a rack-bar closely extending throughtheop'e'ning of the handle and movafbly connected with'the same at a point separate from its pivot, means on said movable jaw for locking it in its adjusted positions on the bar, by interlocking engagement-with the teeth thereof, and a spring-pressed prop-extend ing through an aperture of said "handle, into its hollow to engage the notched end of the stock, the said prop being adjustable to engage anyone of said notchesfor holding the'stockat dift'erentangles with relation to the handle, orto 'disengagefthe stock to allow of'its pivotalmovement independent of the prop. V r

3. In a wrench, a hollow handle having an opening at one ofits end-aaj aw stock having a notched endextendin'g loosely through said opening in pivotal connectionwith "the handle and "having at its opposite end, a fixed jaw, springs engaging the interior surface of said handle and the portion of the 7 stoclpwithin the same atep osite sides or the pivot, a jaw movable on'said stock, a rack-bar loosely extendingthrou'gh the op ening of the handle and movablvconnected withthe sameat a point separate from its pivot, means 'on said movable jaw "for locking it in its adjusted positions on thefbar, by interlocking engagement withfthe "teeth thereof, and aispring-p'ressedprop extending through an aperture 'of said 'handlefinto its hollow to engage the nbtchedend 'of the stock, the said prop being adjustable to engage any one of said notches for holding the stock at different angles with relation to the handle, or to disengage the stock to allow of its pivotal movement independent of the prop.

4. In a wrench, a hollow handle having an opening at one of its ends, a jaw stock having an end extending loosely through said opening in pivotal connection with the handle and having at its opposite end, a fixed jaw, a spring applied between the inner surface of the handle and the portion of the stock within the same to yieldingly oppose a movement of the parts about their pivot, a jaw movable on said stock, a rack-bar loosely extending through the opening of the handle and movably connected with the same at a point separate from its pivot, means on said movable jaw for looking it in its adjusted positions on the bar, by interlocking engagement with the teeth thereof, a headed prop pivotally supported in an aperture of the handle, and extending into the hollow of the same to engage the pivoted end of the stock, and a spring disposed between the said handle and the head of the prop exteriorly of the same, to maintain the prop in engagement with the stock.

5. In awrench, ahollow handle having an opening at one of its ends, a jaw stock having an end, extending loosely through said opening in pivotal connection with the handle and having at its opposite end, a fixed jaw, a spring applied between the inner surface of the handle and the portion of the stock within the same to yieldingly oppose a movement of the parts about their pivot, a jaw movable on said stock, a rack-bar loosely extending through the opening of the handle and movably connected with the same at a point separate from its pivot, means on said movable jaw for looking it in its adjusted positions on the bar, by interlocking Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

engagement with the teeth thereof, a headed prop pivotally supported in an aperture of the handle, and extending into the hollow of the same, the said prop being adjustable to either engage the pivoted end of the stock or to disengage the same to allow of an independent pivotal movement of the stock, and a spring disposed between the said handle and the head of the prop exteriorly of the same, to maintain the prop in engagement with the stock.

6. In a wrench, a hollow handle having an opening at one of its ends, a jaw stock having an end extending loosely through said opening in pivotal connection with the handle and having at its opposite end, a fixed jaw, a spring applied between the inner surface of the handle and the portion of the stock within the same to yieldingly oppose a movement of the parts about their pivot, a jaw movable on said stock, a rackbar loosely extending through the opening of the handle and movably connected with the same at a point separate from its pivot, means on said movable aw for locking it in its adjusted positions on the bar, by interlocking engagement with the teeth thereof, and a prop extending through an aperture of said handle, into its hollow to engage the pivoted end of the stock, the said prop being adjustable to engage the said pivoted end at different distances from its pivot for holding the stock at different angles with relation to the handle, or to disengage the stock to allow of its pivotal movement independent of the prop.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BANS OM Y. BOVEE.

Witnesses G. J. ROLLANDET, L. RHoAoEs.

Washington, D. 6. 

